


(The Untitled Atlantis Blurb)

by AbelQuartz



Category: Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Atlantis, Crossover, Culture Shock, Gen, Royalty, Short One Shot, Tattoos, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-07 23:50:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20984465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbelQuartz/pseuds/AbelQuartz
Summary: Someone made a Tumblr post about an Atlantis AU with Connie in the place of Milo Thatch. So I wrote about it.





	(The Untitled Atlantis Blurb)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SpoopySis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpoopySis/gifts).

> Thanks to @honestsister/SpoopySis for making a post about this. I love these little flashes of inspiration.

The rest of the royalty stayed up in the temple. Dr. Doug and Priyanka already had their equipment spread out and their papers ready, vials and jars and charts all labeled for specimen acquisition. Now, of course, Connie knew that they would have to ask for volunteers. She watched from the rocks below, her jacket folded in her arms, her eyes fixed on the trio of royal guards who watched them. In this palace entryway, there was no sound from the native streets below.

Human beings, real human beings. The family expedition had been treacherous, but seeing her parents’ reaction told Connie that this was truly the greatest archaeological discovery in the history of the world. The stony civilization thrived around them. The palace was surrounded by people of all sizes, shapes and colors, all of whom could speak both their American English and her parents’ native Hindi. The crew’s French and Spanish exchanged perfectly as well, and there was peace among members.

All that was left to do was translate the book. But while her mother was brushing the fingernails of the short, white-haired guard, Connie saw her father flip through the pages with the two others; the pale sword-bearer showed some interest, but the stoic one with the eye tattoo seemed more dubious. Who could blame them? The Maheswaran family were technically intruders.

Maybe she could give it a shot if her dad ever let her touch it. They could have that argument another day. Connie stuffed her jacket in her knapsack and adjusted her glasses. The girl stood up and started down the path away from the chamber.

She started back down a set of stairs towards the city center when she sensed something behind her. Memories of giant lobsters and sea monsters came rushing back in a gut-punch. Without a weapon or even a plan, Connie whirled around, knuckles white as they gripped her pack’s handle. The girl gasped.

“Oh - oh! You’re - ”

The prince hadn’t been around for the opening ceremony. Connie could tell he was royalty, though, from the ornate gold band on his arm. He was stocky, serious, with a banded blue kilt and matching pale tattoos striping his chest and cheeks, little gold loops piercing each ear. His hair was as dark as Connie’s, but rested in untamed curls. Around his neck, she saw a hanging crystal, bright pink. All the others she had seen were the same ocean blue. It was hard not to stare.

“You’re the crown prince. Okay, not crowned, um, banded, but close enough,” Connie mumbled. “They didn’t - well, I’m one of the outsiders. Explorers? I’m not exactly sure.”

The boy stared silently for a moment, studying the girl. They seemed to be about the same age, from what Connie could tell. Silently, the prince stepped forwards, one hand outstretched, as if he had to feel Connie to be real. It was understandable, but the girl hesitated on the steps, inching backwards.

The stones did not comply. Broken by moss, a crack gave way under her heel and the edge of the stair crumbled. Connie yelped as she lurched backwards, flailing her arms as she tried to get back to solid ground.

But instead of the hard fall, Connie felt two hands gripping her. The prince had rushed forwards, and he was staring into her face with her same fear, mirrored concern, suddenly very close. His bare feet dug into the rocks, and his fingers held her torso, right around her ribcage, with surprising strength. The wind whipped around these upper reaches as they stood frozen like statues for a moment. The prince let out a breath, and broke into a cheeky grin, a childish glow in his cheeks. 

Connie didn’t like being touched by strangers, but in this moment, she accepted the hold as the prince pulled her back onto the step. He brushed off the girl’s burlap shirt and stepped back, one hand on his hip and the other dangling in limp sarcasm.

“You might have to watch your step, outsider,” he said. “I won’t be around to grab you every time.”

Embarrassed as she was, Connie gripped her trusty pack again and tried to ignore her cheeks burning. But the burning was waylaid by a hand on top of her own. The prince smiled and turned Connie towards him, doing his best to apparently be friendly.

“I am Ste’finnakan, and you know the rest from my family, yes?”

“Yep. My parents got all the details.”

“No bowing? No honor? At least when your family came into the palace, they were entertaining in their own way.”

Connie had been in the background for that whole ordeal, and she couldn’t help but snort in laughter at the memory of her father, flipping through the journal and attempting to coach himself and his wife in Atlantean etiquette. None of which mattered to the king, of course - but the lauding at least showed off the chamber’s acoustics.

Ste’finnakan laughed with her, and Connie finally felt like she could take some of her guard down. He seemed aware, certainly friendly. The boy took her grip away from the pack and into his own. Holding hands was no more or less intimate than a conversation, it seemed. No, that wasn’t it - 

There was a gentleness to the grip, but he was trying to keep her hands away from her iron dig into the bag’s strap. His thumb rubbed in the slowest circle Connie had felt. He was genuinely trying to calm her nerves with the jokes and physical touch, and Connie wasn’t sure how to take that. Perhaps he felt it his duty as a royal servant of the people. Perhaps he was just trying to be nice. Either way, the smile he gave was as warm as the mechanical sun above them, and he tilted his head at his new companion.

“And what do they call you, explorer?”

“Connie. Connie Maheswaran. It’s, um, it’s nice to meet you, St... Er, Stefer...”

“Ste’finnakan. You can shorten it for your tongue, perhaps?”

“I’m sure I’ll come up with something later.”

The prince stepped around Connie and down the first stair. His hand tugged at hers, and the girl felt compelled, ready to follow into the city’s recesses. The adults were all busy, and the day was young. Ste’finnakan nodded towards his people, his empire, with the light shining off of his band and crystal.

“Connie the explorer,” he chuckled. “So, let’s explore.”


End file.
